Contents

Born December 22, 1856 in Paris, France, to Antoine-Hippolyte Cros and Leonilda Mendès e Texeira. She married Louis Marie Bernard on November 14, 1877 and was the mother to three sons: Etienne Bernard, Jacques Antoine Bernard who succeeded her as the sovereign of Araucania, and Andre Bernard.[1] Laure-Therese was the niece of Henry Cros, the French poet, painter and sculptor. Her Uncle Henry created a medallion showing the young Laure-Therese.[2] She died February 12, 1916 in Issy-les-Moulineaux, France.[3]

On August 28 1873 the Criminal Court of Paris ruled that Antoine de Tounens, first "king of Araucania and Patagonia" did not justify his status of sovereign[4].

Since the death of Antoine de Tounens, some French citizens without familial relations declared themselves to be pretenders to the throne of Araucania and Patagonia. Whether the Mapuche themselves accept this, or are even aware of it, is unclear[5].

The pretenders to the throne of Araucania and Patagonia are called monarchs and sovereigns of fantasy,[6][7][8][9][10] "having only fanciful claims to a kingdom without legal existence and having no international recognition".[11]

On November 1, 1903 she succeeded to his father Antoine-Hippolyte Cros as pretender to the throne of Araucania and Patagonia.